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Coyotes-Wolves-Cougars.blogspot.com

Grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars/ mountain lions,bobcats, wolverines, lynx, foxes, fishers and martens are the suite of carnivores that originally inhabited North America after the Pleistocene extinctions.
This site invites research, commentary, point/counterpoint on that suite of native animals (predator and prey) that inhabited The Americas circa 1500-at the initial point of European exploration and subsequent colonization.
Landscape ecology, journal accounts of explorers and frontiersmen, genetic evaluations of museum animals, peer reviewed 20th and 21st century research on various aspects of our "Wild America" as well as subjective commentary from expert and layman alike. All of the above being revealed and discussed with the underlying goal of one day seeing our Continent rewilded.....Where big enough swaths of open space exist with connective corridors to other large forest, meadow, mountain, valley, prairie, desert and chaparral wildlands.....Thereby enabling all of our historic fauna, including man, to live in a sustainable and healthy environment. - Blogger Rick

A lot has been written about the possibility of hunting Michigan
moose. But very little is said about hunting them with a camera.
Why not?

Michigan has promoted its northern Michigan elk herd for decades, both
for wildlife viewing as well as hunting. Michigan has about 500 moose
roaming the U.P., according to state wildlife officials.

Richard P. Smith, the well-known hunting author and wildlife
photographer from Marquette, has suggested that camera hunting is
something a lot of people could do and enjoy. In fact, he sponsored a
camera moose hunt last fall. The top three winners got prizes.

Smith hoped the event would provide the Michigan Department of Natural
Resources with information about moose locations. The agency has fewer
field staff these days and a diminished ability to survey the moose
population.

"I began photographing moose before they were brought in from Ontario
(and reintroduced) in 1985," Smith said. "I would shoot photos of them
on Isle Royale and in Minnesota.
"When discussions began about holding a limited moose hunt in
Michigan, I thought, we don't need to wait. We can have a camera moose
hunt."

Now, moose hunting is somewhat of a delicate topic in Michigan. They
were reintroduced to restore the once native population. Hunting them
was part of the discussion if the herd grew large enough. But just how
large continues to be a question — as is determining just how many
moose there are.

Slow-growing herd
State wildlife officials have found that Michigan's moose herd has
grown slower than was anticipated in 1985 when 59 Algonquin Provincial
Park moose from Canada were released in Marquette County.
Dean Beyer, a DNR wildlife researcher, has been reported as saying the
U.P. herd "has a rate of growth over the past 10 years of 8 or 9
percent per year on average. In comparison to other wildlife
populations, that's fairly slow."

None of that, of course, has any bearing on whether you or I go out
with our cameras and get photos for our walls and Facebook sites.
Ken Pamperin, of Howard, Wisc., said Smith's camera moose hunt was
fun. He found out about it at a Crystal Falls gas station where he and
his wife Colleen got a cup of coffee and a copy of the Porcupine
Press, which had a story about the contest. Pamperin's first place
photo was taken from inside his Iron County hunting cabin.
"We were in the cabin having breakfast when my mother-in-law said:
'Don't be surprised, but there is a moose walking up the driveway,'"
Pamperin said.

t was the following weekend that he took the photo, while at the
cabin with his brother. The guys were pounding nails when the dog
started barking. "I was surprised to see him that close to the cabin. We were shocked,"
Pamperin said.But not too shocked to pull out his point and shoot and start snapping
some pics.

More wildlife viewing
Ben Evans, a field engineer from Indian River, was bird hunting in
Marquette County in October when he, his father and cousin came around
a rock and saw several moose 25 feet away.

Evans, who has hunted moose in Canada, said he would like to see
Michigan hold a moose hunt. But he also would like to see the state do
more to promote wildlife viewing opportunities for moose.

It is "something everyone can do," he said. "Eighty percent of my
friends have never seen one in their life."And he is right. Moose are spectacular animals. Seeing them in thewild is a remarkable experience. I have had the good fortune to photograph them on Isle Royale and in Canada while on paddling trips. Surveys by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service show that wildlife viewing is extremely popular, more so than hunting.

That lends itself to tourism potential and a boost for local U.P.
economies. There's no question the state should explore the potential
for a hunt, but it is time, perhaps, for it to also consider how to
promote the other values that Michigan moose offer.

Two Massachusetts Eastern Coyotes at their den site

Eastern Wolf in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

Aldo Leopold--3 quotes from his SAN COUNTY ALMANAC

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."

Aldo Leopold

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold

''To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering."

Wildlife Rendezvous

Like so many conscientious hunters and anglers come to realize, good habitat with our full suite of predators and prey make for healthy and productive living............Teddy Roosevelt depicted at a "WILDLIFE RENDEZVOUS"

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Blog Disclaimer

This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer. In addition, my thoughts and opinions change from time to time…I consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind. This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point in time snapshot and manifestation of my various thoughts and opinions, and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed within out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those I may hold today. All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Rick Meril and WWW.COYOTES-WOLVES-COUGARS.COM make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.